Mechanical Restraint and Its Harmful Effects
Author Information
Author(s): Baandrup Lone, Kruse Marie
Primary Institution: Department Bispebjerg-Gentofte, Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Denmark
Hypothesis
Does mechanical restraint in psychiatric settings lead to somatic harmful outcomes?
Conclusion
Mechanical restraint is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism, pneumonia, injuries, and all-cause death within 30 days of restraint.
Supporting Evidence
- Mechanical restraint is linked to a relative risk of 4.377 for thromboembolic events.
- Mechanical restraint is associated with a relative risk of 5.470 for pneumonia.
- Mechanical restraint has a relative risk of 2.286 for injuries.
- Mechanical restraint is associated with a relative risk of 5.540 for all-cause death.
Takeaway
Using mechanical restraint on patients can lead to serious health problems, like blood clots and pneumonia, even if it seems necessary at the time.
Methodology
A population-based, observational cohort study using data from Danish national registers from 2007 to 2019.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding by indication due to the characteristics of patients subjected to mechanical restraint.
Limitations
Data on somatic events may be underreported due to delays in registration and the study could not assess psychological impacts.
Participant Demographics
Predominantly male (66%), mean age 36.7 years in the restrained group.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04 for thromboembolism, <0.0001 for pneumonia, <0.0001 for injury, <0.0001 for all-cause death
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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